Purpose beyond profits
The future of leadership is elevating business through humanity. Expectations from leaders are evolving. Currently, revenue, expansion and short-termism are being prioritised without accounting for the true impact on our society and natural resources. This mindset is changing, as there is purpose beyond profits. Especially younger consumers feel that leaders should use their power to make a net positive impact and care about issues that will not directly affect the company’s bottom line. A redesigned role of leaders is in progress, as sustainability, diversity, inclusivity and ethics are demanded by stakeholders: companies have to take a stance! Ultimately, the challenge for companies and their leaders is to include all three Ps: People, Planet and Profit. Companies want to ‘do the right thing’, but also keep growing economically. Achieving this sometimes requires hard decisions which must be made in a human way, which can be quite complex. Leaders have to take responsibility for the company’s overall impact. While CEO and company activism is an increasingly occurring phenomenon, taking a stand is not always without consequences, especially when it comes to societal issues. How can companies manage the balance of People, Planet and Profit, and can this be done without a trade-off? How can leaders effectively take a stand to go after purpose beyond profit?